The public defender office as guarantee of access to Justice

Abstract

Access to justice seems particularly important to guarantee other rights, often as or more important than civil and political rights, including criminal and procedural guarantees. In any case, with regard to this aspect and the role of the criminal defender, the access to justice seems a mockery if we consider that those who Public Defenders normally defend, persons who are deprived of their liberty, are detained and their only contact with justice is mainly the penitentiary institution, which is very easy to access and precisely where they want to go out, the opposite of access. The criminal defense has to reach exactly that, aimed to provide legal assistance to the accused, fighting for his freedom in any case. This article intends to talk about the ideas “guarantee” and “public”, that transforms it into public defense, official, materialized in the public defender office.